Dimensional Horror

Species Traits

Blindsight (Ex): A dimensional horror can ascertain all creatures and objects within 30 feet in both the normal world and its own coexistent dimension. The dimensional horror’s blindsight is not dependent on vision, echolocation, vibrations, or scent; rather, it is gained through an unknown sense that detects the space objects and creatures occupy.

Although a dimensional horror can be blinded and deafened normally, nothing can rob it of its blindsight.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the dimensional horror must hit a single opponent that is its own size category or smaller with both claw attacks in the same round. If it gets a hold, it automatically deals damage for two claw attacks each round that the hold is maintained, and it can attempt to use its shift dimension ability (see below) in the same round.

Scent (Ex): This ability allows a dimensional horror to detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

The dimensional horror may use its scent ability against creatures in the normal world even while it is in its coexistent dimension (see below).

Shift Dimension (Su): This ability, usable at will, allows the dimensional horror to move from the normal world to a coexistent dimension or back again as a free action. Any creature grappled by the dimensional horror as it shifts must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the dimensional horror’s Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier) or be taken along to the other dimension.

Any creature in this alternate dimension is invisible and intangible with respect to the normal world. Creatures there cannot see or hear dimensionally shifted creatures; to anyone watching a shift from the normal world, it appears that the affected creature simply ceases to exist. Creatures within the coexistent dimension can see, hear, and affect each other normally, and they can also see and hear the normal world. No visual cue differentiates creatures in one dimension from those in the other, so creatures unwillingly brought to the coexistent dimension may be confused when their companions seem unable to see them anymore. A dimensional horror, however, innately knows which of the two dimensions any creature within range of its blindsight occupies.

A dimension-shifted creature is unable to affect anything in the normal world and can pass through nonshifted objects harmlessly. The coexistent dimension effectively lacks gravity, so a shifted creature can move about at its base speed in any direction or orientation it desires. However, the physics of movement for objects remains the same as in the normal world. A dropped object falls at the same rate as it would in the normal world and comes to rest on the “floor,” but creatures and the objects they carry do not fall when dropped and can be pushed through the “floor” or through other objects that are solid in the normal world.

Though the coexistent dimension has no atmosphere as such, any shifted creature can breathe normally there. These phenomena baffle scientists and will likely continue to do so until some safe and reliable means of accessing the alternate dimension is established.

A dimensional horror can remain in the coexistent dimension as long as it wishes. Any other shifted creature or object remains there as long as it is grappled or held by a dimensional horror and for 1 minute thereafter. When that time elapses, the creature instantly shifts back to the normal world. When a dimensional horror dies, all creatures it shifted to the coexistent dimension instantly return to the normal world, along with the corpse of the dimensional horror. Creatures that arrive in the normal world within a solid object or creature are pushed out of the obstruction and into the nearest open space, taking 1d6 points of damage for each 5 feet so traveled. The object or creature within which the shifter arrived is unharmed by the process. Dimensional horrors often take care to hide their victims’ bodies in caverns and other open spaces deep underground or in hollow trees, so that when they automatically shift back to the normal world, they will not be obvious.

True seeing, see invisibility, and similar effects make dimensionally shifted creatures visible to creatures in the normal world, and dispel magic returns them there, automatically breaking the grapple of any dimensional horrors that hold them.

Attempts by scientists to harness the dimensional horrors’ alternate space have had little success, partially because such efforts seem to attract the attention of dimensional horrors. Nevertheless, a few technological items have been created to combat these terrors from beyond (New FX Equipment, below).

Dimensional Horror: CR 7; Large outsider; HD 6d8+18; hp 45; Mas 16; Init +2; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 18, touch 11, flatfooted 16 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural); BAB +6; Grap +16; Atk +11 melee (1d6+9, claw); Full Atk +11 melee (1d6+6, 2 claws) and +9 melee (1d8+3, 2 bites); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft; SQ blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., improved grab, scent, shift dimension (DC 15); AL none; SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +7; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 22, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 14.

Skills: Listen +11, Navigate +4, Search +5, Sense Motive +6, Spot +11, Survival +11.

Feats: Multiattack, Track.

Advancement: 7–12 HD (Huge); 13–24 HD (Gargantuan).

Advanced Dimensional Horror: CR 13; Gargantuan outsider; HD 14d8+98; hp 161; Mas 24; Init +1; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 21, touch 7, flat-footed 20 (-4 size, +1 Dex, +14 natural); BAB +14; Grap +39; Atk +23 melee (2d6+19, claw); Full Atk +23 melee (2d6+13, 2 claws) and +21 melee (2d8+6, 2 bites); FS 20 ft. by 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft; SQ blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., improved grab, scent, shift dimension (DC 19); AL none; SV Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +11; AP 0; Rep +0; Str 36, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 9, Wis 15, Cha 14.

Skills: Listen +19, Navigate +16, Search +15, Sense Motive +16, Spot +19, Survival +19.

Feats: Cleave, Multiattack, Power Attack, Track.